The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
A typical multiple speed transmission uses a combination of friction clutches, planetary gear arrangements and fixed interconnections to achieve a plurality of gear ratios. The number and physical arrangement of the planetary gear sets, generally, are dictated by packaging, cost and desired speed ratios. Moreover, a transfer case is typically used in combination with the transmission to provide additional power take-offs for four wheel or all-wheel drive applications. The transfer case in some applications will have a low range gear set to provide a low speed ratio and a high torque capability. In order to provide this low range capability the transfer case typically employs a speed reducing gear set which is selectable using dog clutches.
While current transmissions and transfer cases achieve their intended purpose, the need for new and improved transmission configurations which exhibit improved performance, especially from the standpoints of efficiency, responsiveness and smoothness and improved packaging, primarily reduced size and weight, is essentially constant. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved, cost-effective, compact transmission having the capability of providing the transfer case selectable low range function.